I Can Extract Divine Power-Chapter 109 - 91: Sealed Village, New Deceitful Object

Chapter 109: Chapter 91: Sealed Village, New Deceitful Object

"That’s right," Shen Bai nodded. "Status is useful for dealing with minor hassles. Let’s take a look around."

The three of them tethered their horses to an old tree outside the village and walked inside.

The moment he stepped inside, Shen Bai felt a gloomy, ice-cold aura envelop them.

The village was filled with rows of houses.

These houses were far more exquisite than ordinary ones.

It was clearly a prosperous village. Even the villagers relaxing in their doorways were wearing new clothes.

The arrival of Shen Bai and his two companions immediately drew everyone’s attention.

Before long, a few villagers quietly slipped out of their houses and hurried off.

Shen Bai saw this but paid them no mind, instead continuing to survey his surroundings.

’Every house is shrouded in a strange, resentful energy. Truly sinister.’

Everywhere he looked, terrifying resentful energy coiled around the houses like venomous snakes.

Living in an environment where this resentful energy festered, some of the villagers already had slightly pale complexions.

The resentful energy was so dense that even a Cultivator would likely feel its ill effects.

"The resentful energy is coiled around the entire village, but it isn’t spreading outward. This strange proliferation must be connected to the village itself," Huang Guang said.

After a moment of sensing, Kong Fang said, "Someone’s coming."

In the distance, an elderly man was walking toward them with a tremor in his step, supported by several villagers.

They heard the old man’s hoarse voice before he even drew near.

"My lords, I am the chief of Sealed Village. My surname is Feng. Are you here to resolve the troubles in our village?"

Village Chief Feng drew close and asked, panting, "Finally, someone has come to see about us in Sealed Village. If these strange events continue, all the villagers will have to move away."

The Kitchen God Festival is the most important event of the year for Sealed Village. Now that something has gone wrong with it, the whole village is in a state of panic.

Shen Bai produced the Token from his waist. "I am a State Governor from the Observatory, here on official orders to investigate."

Village Chief Feng was visibly startled and cupped his hands in respect. "Greetings, my lord. I never expected Fenglin State to send someone from the Observatory. Sealed Village has truly been a burden to you."

Shen Bai said, "I heard a Daoist presided over the festival this time. In the past, you were always the one to host it. Why the change? And where is that Daoist now?"

He didn’t waste any words, getting straight to the point.

’If there’s a deceitful aura, there must be a deceitful presence. And where there’s a deceitful presence, there’s Evil Qi.’

’Shen Bai only had ten wisps of Evil Qi left. It might sound like a lot, but it wouldn’t last long once he started using it.’

’He had joined the Observatory for the sole purpose of acquiring Evil Qi, so of course, he wanted to speed things along.’

Upon hearing this, Village Chief Feng gave a wry smile. "I’m getting old. I can no longer preside over the Kitchen God Festival. That Daoist was just passing through to rest his feet. He seemed to know what he was talking about, so I let him help."

As he spoke, Village Chief Feng lifted his pant leg.

"Not only is my health failing, but I also broke my leg today. I really couldn’t have presided over the Kitchen God Festival. I never imagined something like this would happen."

His leg was clamped between two wooden boards, clearly indicating an injury.

Shen Bai stroked his chin. "Where do you hold the Kitchen God Festival?"

’Since I’m already here, and the whole affair revolves around the Kitchen God Festival, I should naturally go take a look.’

Huang Guang was searching the area, but he had found virtually no Information.

Village Chief Feng pointed behind him. "If you walk a ways into the village, you’ll find a withered tree. We always perform the ritual there."

Hearing this, Kong Fang said, "Take us there."

Village Chief Feng immediately agreed. Supported by the villagers, he limped ahead to lead the way.

Shen Bai and the others followed, their eyes narrowing as they observed the resentful energy growing denser and the gloom becoming ice-cold.

...

The walk from the village to the withered tree took less than the time it takes for an incense stick to burn.

Along the way, many villagers, seeing that three Lord Officials had arrived, stood curiously in their doorways to watch.

Not far ahead, a massive tree stood in a wide, open clearing.

The tree was towering, but it had no green leaves. Its dry, withered branches swayed ceaselessly in the evening wind.

Beneath the tree was a long table. On it were only empty plates.

Shen Bai gazed at the withered tree.

Just like the houses, the withered tree was entwined with a dense web of resentful energy.

"My lord, this is the place. We’ve always performed the Kitchen God Festival here."

"When the time comes each year, we hold the Kitchen God Festival. Those are the ceremonial items."

Village Chief Feng explained, pointing to the side.

There was another table beneath the withered tree.

This table was round, and on it sat a single wooden bowl.

The wooden bowl was of a very common design, the kind seen everywhere in Fenglin State.

The bowl was empty, but it was stained with dark blood.

Shen Bai’s gaze lingered on the wooden bowl. "Is that bowl yours as well?" he asked.

Village Chief Feng quickly shook his head. "No, it’s not ours. The Daoist brought it. It was filled with chicken blood."

Shen Bai walked toward the round table, but his gaze remained fixed straight ahead, as if he had spotted an important clue there.

Huang Guang and Kong Fang were puzzled but followed behind Shen Bai nonetheless.

As they drew closer, it dawned on Huang Guang and Kong Fang.

"Is this... a Deceitful Object?"

"No, wait. It’s not the bowl. The tree is the Deceitful Object?"

At first, Huang Guang and Kong Fang thought it was the wooden bowl. They only realized later that the bowl’s proximity to the withered tree had created a misleading illusion.

This massive, withered tree was the true Deceitful Object.

"Correct," Shen Bai nodded. "This is a Deceitful Object."

Before Shen Bai’s eyes, wisps of smoke that only he could see began to gather. With an air of mystique and wonder, they gradually coalesced into words that hovered in the air.

[Dead Great Tree]

[Appraisal Progress: 0%]

[One wisp of Evil Qi can be used for rapid appraisal.]